Identification and characterisation of Thiobacilli spp. from Chaliyar Estuary - Malabar

Abstract

Thiobacilli spp. occurring in surface and bottom water and sediment from seven stations in the Chaliyar Estuary, for a period of one year, were isolated and cultured. A total of 231 sample of water and sediments were analysed of which 77 gave positive isolation of "typical" Thiobacilli and 154 yielded "atypical" strains exhibiting poor growth and oxidative metabolism. In sediments from stations near to the rayon factory, incidence of strains of high oxidative metabolism, ranging between 14.69 and 39.37% were noticed. The species were T. thioparus and T. concretivorus